Here in the End
by Calasstria
Summary: When all is said and done, the best we can hope for is a happily ever after...


**Author's Note: **This is the first fanfic I've posted here, so I'd really like some constructive feedback from anyone who wishes to give them.

Characters do not belong to me. I'm only writing my interpretation of how the series could end.

--

**Here in the End**

The dust began to settle in around him, and only then when he blinked up at his own trembling hand did Kanda realize that he was still alive.

But Allen had killed him, hadn't he? The Destroyer of time, after fighting the Noah within, after crying and pleading for the other to run before it was too late, had relented when Kanda commanded him to end the battle once and for all. To fulfill his sworn duty as an exorcist. The stigma slowly began to appear beneath the boys bangs as he stabbed his arm through the samurai, ripped his heart out, _the_ Heart, and held it with that cursed hand. All the while keeping his eyes locked with Kanda's, begging him to forgive him, crying for him. _"Don't die, Kanda! Please, please,_ please_! Don't die!!"_ Blue eyes then shut, falling to darkness and Kanda remembered no more.

The Japanese teen hesitated before slowly moving his hand to touch his chest. Everything hadn't quite healed yet, but he was still alive. His healing ability had closed the wound, rebuilt his biological heart and stopping most of the external bleeding, but he knew that internally was another story. Never the less, the curse remained. The curse had saved him. He should've been more concerned with his own state of existence.

And yet…

Kanda sudden bolted up, the motion causing his body to curl forward in pain. That no longer mattered. He stood carefully, hands grasping his sword, his Mugen that had miraculously survived unmarred, clutching his abdomen and staggering forward into the starlit night. He had to know what became of them. The three people he had fought with before the end. Before the redhead had taken on the sea of multi-leveled akuma alone, yelling for the others to go ahead without him, grinning painfully at his comrades as they fled screaming for him. Before the shorthaired girl had thrown herself in front of an attack launched by the Noah of Pleasure, taking on the man and two of his "siblings" while shouting for them to get the Earl and promising to find them soon with a small smile painting her lips. And Moyashi…

Kanda knew the Heart was destroyed. He no longer felt Mugen responding to its call. But did the boy survive after that? Did he live to slay the Earl once and for all?

The questions pushed Kanda forward. Each swaying step, each piercing throb in his body… none of these could deter him from knowing what had happened to the people he had reluctantly come to consider his best friends.

Suddenly his foot caught under an uprooted rock, and Kanda fell forward, face falling into something soft and warm followed by a sharp, "OW!"

Before he could react further, two arms suddenly flung themselves around his head, pulling him close to the stomach he has just landed on. A breathless chuckle, light hearted and familiar rang in his ears, "I missed ya too, Yuu. But next time, try not to knock the wind outta me, ok?"

That voice, one that would have irritated him into a fit of rage otherwise, now sounded like one of the most wonderful sounds he'd ever heard. But appearances still mattered, and his hands went up to weakly shove Lavi off. "Baka Usagi. If you don't want me to punch you again, stop calling me that."

Another laugh, and then Kanda met Lavi's visible jade eye, the small light of mischief dancing in it as he teased, "Sure thing, Yuu."

Kanda rolled his eyes, but chose not to respond. Instead he looked around the desolate landscape, then back to Lavi, tone serious. "Did you find anyone else?"

Lavi's own gaze dimmed, "No, but I was hoping you did." The Junior Bookman slowly pushed himself up wincing as the gash in his shoulder started to burn in protest.

"Oi, take it easy with that injury, idiot. You're bleeding all over."

"Forget that," Lavi hissed. "Lenalee. We have to find her. And Allen. They-"

"Hello!?"

The two froze, listening in as another familiar voice called out across the darkness. A voice that was distinctly female, with a hint of pain and fright echoing in its wake. They listened again to make sure their ears hadn't deceived them. That it was really she.

"Kanda! Allen-kun! Lavi!" the voice drew nearer. "Is anyone out there!?"

"…Lenalee," Lavi's voice was chocked, his face alight with relief while Kanda sighed and rubbed at he forehead. "She made it, Yuu! She made it! I can hear her voice! I can hear her-"

"SO ANSWER HER ALREADY, MORON!! STOP BLABBERING NONSEN-"

"Kanda?! Kanda is that you?!"

Kanda grunted deciding someone had to end this shouting match. He called back, "Of course it's me! And I have the stupid rabbit here hopping for joy like the fool that he is instead of being useful!"

A sharp intake of breath was heard, followed by rubble being pushed aside and then she appeared. Her face bruised, left cheek swollen, various wounds crisscrossing her now bare legs, but no amount of scarring and battery could stop Lenalee from giving them the most radiant, beautiful smile either of them had seen. Lavi rushed forward and caught her just as her trembling legs gave way, both of them clinging to each other in desperation, both needing this to be real.

"You're alive," She whimpered. Kanda moved forward and allowed her to grip his hand and squeeze with all her might. "You're both alive. I-I… I thought for sure…"

"Shhh," Lavi breathed, body shaking trying to suppress his own sobs. As he rocked her frail body back and forth. "Shhh. It's fine now. Yuu and I found you."

Kanda snorted, "More like she found us, stupid. You just stood there jabbering like a fool."

A hand swatted at him roughly in return, and Kanda found himself happy to have Lenalee's fists of love smack him once more. The trio remained in the tangled embrace for a moment longer, before Lenalee pulled away eyes wide, "Where's Allen-kun?"

The two boys exchanged a glace before looking back at the girl. She watched them closely before whispering, "What's the matter? Didn't you see him?"

Lavi's smile wavered, but he held her hands firmly in his and answered, "We didn't find him, yet."

Violet eyes began to tear again, "But you're both here. That means Allen has to be ok, too, right?"

Lavi took in a shuttering breath, "Yeah…He has to be…"

Kanda stood up once more, hair hiding his expression to the others. For a moment he tensed, then spoke, "We'll split up and look for him. Whoever finds him, just yell and we'll find you."

The other two exorcists nodded before going their separate ways to search for Allen. Kanda pushed aside all suspicious looking piles of stone, each time daring hope that one of them would be hiding the moyashi. But he found nothing. Not a scrap of clothing from his uniform, not a strand of snow-white hair to beckon him in the right direction.

Just when he was ready to give up Lavi's voice cut through his thoughts, "Yu! Lenalee! Come quick, I found him!"

Within seconds Kanda was racing towards the direction of the calling, and soon his eyes were met with a daunting sight. Held carefully in Lavi's arms, was the savior of the world. His skin remained white as did his hair, the stigmata on his forehead had long stopped bleeding, but the grotesque wound in his torso had not. The boy's body wasn't even twitching as the Junior Bookman held him.

Footsteps faltered behind him as Lenalee took in the scene. "No," her voice was shaking as she darted past the still shocked form of Kanda and knelt beside the fallen figure. Her hands clasped Allen's right as she cried. "No. Oh, Allen, no."

Lavi's own eye was overflowing now as he lightly tapped the boy's cold cheeks, "Bean sprout… Come on, kid, wake up."

But Allen's eyes remained closed, the blissful smile still stretched across his face. He looked as though he were ready for death to come to him. He looked like a saint, a martyr sleeping in a pool of his own blood while his loved ones surrounded him and wept.

Kanda's fists shook, as he joined them on Allen's other side, roughly grabbing the boys face and frowning, "Wake up, already, Moyashi!"

"Kanda, stop that, please, " Lenalee sniffed.

"Yuu…"

"No. I won't stop. He made a promise to us all. He said he'd keep walking no matter what, but look at him. He's given up. He let himself get killed. Stupid little idealist."

"Yuu, that's enough," Lavi mumbled, wiping his eye. "Let him rest in peace."

"He's not dead yet," Kanda snarled. "But he's letting himself get to that point."

_And I refuse to let him reach it._

The other two sat in a stunned silence as Kanda stopped shaking Allen's body and leaned in so he was face to face with the younger boy. He spoke just above a whisper, "Wake up."

No one moved. There wasn't even a gust of wind to disturb them as they waited for something to happen. Waited for some sort of miracle to take place. But Allen never budged.

Unable to hold back her anguish, Lenalee fell forward onto the youngest boy's chest, tears bitterly running down her cheeks as Lavi said hoarsely "He's gone… He's really gone."

Kanda stayed still a little longer, eyes still studying the scarred face, before he sighed and pulled away, "I guess… you really weren't as strong as I thought you were… Moyashi."

He made to leave, no longer wanting to be near the site where the boy had fallen, where his friends were shaking in uncontrolled sorrow. He wanted to be alone so he could mourn in peace.

Two gasps gave him pause, and soon after a small, marred hand closed over his retreating wrist. Kanda's head spun around, a lone tear trailing his cheek as he stared down into two half closed grey orbs.

Allen looked around him, a delicate smile forcing itself on his face, "I'm… not weak. And I'll… never stop… walking."

"Allen-kun!"

In record time Lenalee's arms were suffocating him as whole new wave of tears escaped her, Lavi's laughter ringing out as he wiped at his eye furiously and joined the fray, "You're ok, kid! God, Allen, you're alive!"

Kanda took the boy's hand, the one he refused to shake on their very first encounter, removed it from his wrist, and held it in his own, lightly snorting as he shook his head, "…Baka Moyashi…"

--

They had won. The battle against the Millennium Earl was over and with him vanished all the Noah, all the Akuma. In the dust and debris, many waited. Most of them crying, believing that the four fated children had fallen with their enemies, lambs of God sacrificed for the good of humanity.

Komui Lee's face remained carefully blank as he watched the sky clear and the first rays of dawn peak over the ruined city. To his left about ten feet away, Miranda was sobbing into Mari's shoulder, the giant man embraced her gently not even bothering to mind his own silent tears. On his right, his staff also mourned, fearing the worst.

The sun rose higher and light began to erase the last traces of the longest night of their lives. And with that dawn, four battered figures emerged. Kanda held Lenalee's bleeding form, carrying her bridal style over the rubble, and lingering not too far behind was Lavi with Allen's arms draped across his shoulder as he carried the boy back to the now cheering crowd of friends and family. It was only when Lenalee was gently placed back on the ground, eyes sparkling though her legs were shaking with the effort to stand, did Komui rush forward and capture his beloved younger sister in his arms, vision blurred by tears that seemed to have no end.

"Brother," the petite girl embraced him weakly, the smile on her face never leaving. "The God we hated kept his word. He let me come home to you."

"You came back," the Chinese man whispered, chocking on his own sobs. "You came back to me. Lenalee. Lenalee!"

There was crying and celebration as the four were given a hero's welcome. They were free, now. Free from the terror and the pain inflicted by the Earl and his minions. Free from the Order's iron fisted rules. Free to lead the lives they'd deserved.

The Dark Order was dismissed, and Malcolm Leverier was charged with high treason against the Vatican. Komui Lee was given an honorable discharge from his position as head of the science department along with several others of his staff and members of foreign branches. Mari and Miranda announced their engagement to a shocked, but supportive group of their peers. Kanda was to be the best man and Lenalee the maid of honor.

The Old Man was dead now, and the ceremony of acceptance took place as his successor was introduced as the master. Lavi accepted his duty as the new Bookman, but when confronted by his choice to stay with his friends instead of traveling abroad, he replied, "It's amazing what we're able to learn from reading the paper these days. Besides, who wants to travel to globe alone?"

Lenalee had wanted to stay with her brother, but when the time came, he surprised everyone by asking her to go with the boys on whatever crazy journey they were embarking on. She hadn't expected Komui of all people to encourage her to frolic about in the company of three young members of the opposite sex, but he assured her, "If they ever try and taint your purity, I'll find you and take you back. But for now," A fond smile quirked the man's mouth. "Far be it for me to separate you from the three of the most important people in your life."

When they did leave, waving farewell to those they held dear, or rather Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi waving with Kanda brooding behind them, they promised themselves that they would definitely return.

For now, however, they needed to do something for themselves first.

--

**Two months later**

"Allen-kun, how much further do we have to walk?"

"Not too far now. We're almost there."

"Che. That's what you said an hour ago, _Moyashi_."

"It's Allen, Bakanda..."

"Actually, Yuu, he said that 20 minutes and 13 seconds ag-"

"Shut the hell up, baka Usagi! Don't call me that."

"Aww, but Yuuuuuu!"

"I said SILENCE!"

"Kanda put Mugen away! If anyone in the village happened to see you swinging that around, they'd run us out with pitchforks."

"Che, like anyone will see us out here. The Moyashi's led us into the middle of fucking nowhere."

"It's Allen! A-L-L-E-N! How hard is that to say? Come on now, repeat that in English… if you can."

"Boys…"

"B-E-A-N-S-P-R-O-U-T. Happy now?"

"Ah ha ha! He got you good, sprout!"

"For the last bloody time it's ALLEN!"

"BOYS! What did I say about arguing!?"

"…"

"…"

"…They started it."

"LAVI!"

"…Who's up for rabbit stew?"

"Wait a moment!" Allen froze, the others stopped to stare at him curiously. The white haired boy looked around the wooded path they had taken from the little town on the shore, brows furrowed in thought. At length, he bounced up in excitement, grabbing the person whose hand was closest to his and running forward. "It's here! It's right past the trees!"

Kanda stumbled as Allen dragged him along, barely even having time to draw Mugen out to threaten him for the unwanted contact, "Oi! Let go of me, Moyashi!"

"Hey guys wait up!" Lenalee called as she raced to catch up to them.

"Wha!! Slow down, guys!" Lavi whined trying to keep close to the group with difficulty. "This luggage ain't all that light, you know!"

They rushed out of the forest and up a grassy hill, following the sound of waves as they went. The wind was slightly stronger without the shelter of the trees, and long blades of green and yellow brushed and tickled their legs as they went.

Finally Allen stopped, panting heavily and letting go of Kanda's hand before the samurai could yank it away first. Both of their cheeks were flushed from sprinting, but the smile never faltered on his face as Allen turned to the others. "Well? What do you think?"

Three mouths hung open in astonishment. Seated at the edge of the rocky cliff, high above the waves crashing below, was a small stone cottage surrounded by wildflowers and a small bushel of trees. Though it looked like it could use a little care and tending to, especially the garden area beside it, the house looked almost brand new, like it was custom built for their benefit. The best part was that its location was close enough to civilization, but surrounded by woods and sea on either side that there was a sort of seclusion about it. It was in a word, perfection.

"Allen-kun," Lenalee sighed walking over to lean her head against his shoulder. "It- it's so beautiful."

"Isn't it, though," the boy beamed. "And to think that they wanted to tear it down and build a new house in it's place. Honestly."

"And how did you come across such a find?" Lavi's eye now focused on Allen who smirked in return.

"Oh, I won it at that auction the village was holding two nights ago. I'd been saving up all my winning cash in poker to buy a place of our own. Then when I saw this little beauty and found out that they were bidding it off, I took my chances and went for it. I still have plenty of left over savings for food and stuff."

Lavi's face paled, "Just how many poor suckers did you steal from to get that much in the first place, kid?"

The grin turned slightly sinister, "Oh, just a few here and there while we were traveling."

"…Right," Lavi laughed a bit, scratching the back of his head. "Well, s'long as it's now legally ours, mind if I go in and take a peek?"

Allen bowed and chuckled lightly, "Be my guest."

Without further prying, Lavi rushed up the pathway and to the door pausing when he couldn't get it to open. He yelled over his shoulder, "Hey, sprout, we need the keys!"

Lenalee giggled, took them from Allen's outstretched hand, and skipped over to assist Lavi with the door. Allen shook his head as Lavi and Lenalee walked inside, hearing a loud "STRIKE!" they observed the interior.

He turned to glance at Kanda once more, watching those slanted blue eyes as they continued to drink in the stunning view of the cottage. Allen walked over to his side and smiled, "You like it then?"

Kanda remained silent, as Allen waited for him to answer. Just when the British teen was about to give up and leave, Kanda murmured, "I still have to find that person, you know."

Allen's eyes grew wide, "Kanda?"

"I told you before, moyashi," he continued, keeping his gaze fixed on the house. "I need to find them so I can move on. One part of my life has ended, but the other…"

The British teen watched Kanda closely for a moment before sighing, "Alright then. You will find that person. And I'm going with you."

Kanda's head whipped around, eyes wide, "What did you say?"

"I mean we're not going to be leaving right away what with the renovations this place will need, but when everything's settled-"

"Now wait a minute, Moyashi," Kanda hissed, glaring down at Allen's oblivious face. "This has nothing to do with you. You can stay here and-"

"And what? Let you disappear?" Allen challenged, shaking his head. "You should know me better than that by now, Bakanda. You're not going to be rid of us that easily. I'm sure Lenalee and Lavi will go, too."

"Didn't you hear what I just said? I said it had nothing to do with you! Don't just involve yourself in something you don't understand."

Grey eyes met blue with a sharp, determined look, "I'm not asking for you to explain yourself. I'm just letting you know that we've all come too far just to loss each other all over again." A light smile lifted his lips as he added. "And when you resolve whatever it is that's haunting you, we'll all come back to live here permanently. Together."

Kanda was quiet for a moment, eyes seemingly empty of all emotion before he snorted and averted his gaze, "Do what you want."

Allen's smile grew, "I intend to."

"HEY _YUUUUUU_! _ALLENNNNNN_!"

The peace of their conversation was brought to a halt as Lavi leaned out the window hollering, "There're only two bed rooms and Lenalee's getting the smaller one for herself. Komui's rules… Anyway, I call the first bed!!"

Allen blinked the frowned, "H-hey wait a minute! I bought the cottage, so I get first picks!"

"Ya snooze, ya lose, kid! I'm taking the one by the window with the best view!"

"What?! But that's the one I wanted! I even have my things set up and everyth-"

"Not anymore you don't," Lavi grinned. "I took the liberty of relocating your stuff to the floor, so ya better come and pick it up."

Allen huffed as the older boy ducked his head back inside, cackling all the while. "I guess we should go settle rooming arrangements."

"Che. So annoying." The samurai started to walk ahead but frowned when Allen didn't follow. He turned to see Allen staring at the sky, his mouth moving softly, thanking an unknown phantom. Kanda waited a few moments, then marched back over and grabbed his arm. "Oi, Moyashi! Quit daydreaming and hurry up."

Allen flailed a bit as he was dragged away back to their new home, "Ouch! That hurts, Bakanda!"

"Deal with it, slacker Moyashi."

"It's Allen!"

"Whatever."

They walked to the entryway, greeted by a laughing Lavi and a scolding Lenalee. Entering the house once more, they closed the door behind them, the bickering and laughter trailing in their wake.

Here in the end, the four former exorcists finally found a place that they could forever call home.

--

**Author's Note**: Well, that was that. In case anyone's interested, this is the link to a Kinkade painting that sort of looks like how I pictured the cottage to: members./ldybery/NewDayDawning5.jpg

I may add a sequel or two in the future because the idea of all four of our favorite exorcists living together is just so much fun. Depends on if I have the time or inspiration to do so.

Thank you for reading!


End file.
